Texturizing apparatus

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus useful in the textile art for maintaining the uniformity of a filament in a crimping facility in which the facility functions to continuously monitor the level of crimped material in a crimping chamber, thereby assuring a constant and predetermined level therein.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Ralph A. Caneer; [50] Field ofSearch28/l.6, 1.7,

William J. Anderson; Bert B. Morgan, 72. 14

Ash ll; M.Good

2 Jerry manswannama [56] References Cited [21] AppLNo. 833,602 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Filed June 16, 1969 2,760,252 8/1956 Shattuck 28/l.7Patented y 5, 1971 3,153,837 10/1964 Schippcrsetal..... 28/l.7 [73]Assignee Northrop Carolina, Inc. E L d SwannamaNQ Primary xammeroursimro t [54] TEXTURIZING APPARATUS Attorneys-Harold L. Fox and Willard M.Graham ABSTRACT: Method and apparatus useful in the textile art formaintaining the uniformity of a filament in a crimping 4 Claims 2 Drawmgfacility in which the facility functions to continuously monitor [52]US. CL; 28/l.7 the level of crimped material in a crimping chamber,thereby [5 l 1 Int. Cl. D02g l/12 assuring a constant and predeterminedlevel therein.

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from? [kl/e ain 0 i d j f 34 Im /972v TEXTURIZING APPARATUS The presentinvention pertains to a method and apparatus functioning to effect atexturizing operation on threadlike fibers and more particularly toapparatus useful in the textile art in processing (crimping)thermosensitive synthetic fibers or filaments such as; nylon, polyester,rayon, acetate, etc., the apparatus functioning to maintain the quantityof material in a processing chamber substantially constant therebyproviding filaments of uniform quality.

Various types of apparatus and methods have been suggested and arecurrently in use in the textile art for effecting an operation asoutlined above. However, to the best of applicants knowledge apparatuscurrently in use relies on a max imum-minimum quantity or mass offilaments being present in the texturizing chamber of the apparatus,i.e., a winding or withdrawal operation is noticeably accelerated ordecelerated as quantity (mass) of crimped filaments present in theprocessing chamber reaches a maximum or minimum. Apparatus whichfunctions in the latter manner results in broken filaments or filamentsof nonuniform quality.

In contrast the apparatus disclosed herein utilizes an induced currentto continuously monitor the quantity of crimped filaments in a crimpingchamber. Immediately, as the quantity of filaments begin to build up,the aforementioned current acts to increase the winding speed andaccordingly the quantity of input material being processed is maintainedconstant or nearly so. Accordingly, uniform bulked filaments areprovided and the danger of filament breakage is reduced or minimized.The operation of the apparatus will be clarified in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and amethod for performing a crimping operation in which the speed of thewinding operation is continuously monitored and changed in accordancewith the quantity of compacted filament present in the processingchamber.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for effecting acrimping operation andin which an induced current is continuouslyincreased or decreased proportional to the quantity of filament in theprocessing chamber thereby controlling the speed of the windingoperation in response to current induced in a control circuit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of textile machinery including a crimpingand winding facility as disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 constitutes a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken on line 2-2 of thelatter FIG.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. I constitutes a view of textilemachinery 11 as disclosed herein. The apparatus II includes a processingor crimping facility I2, an electrical current amplifier 14, a constantspeed electric motor I6, electrical clutch I7 and drive and packagerolls l8 and 19, respectively.

The crimping facility 12 is of conventional design except for theplunger member 21 shown in detail in FIG. 2, a more complete descriptionand function of the member 21 will be forthcoming as the disclosureprogresses. A thermosensitive synthetic filament 22 is supplied from asupply roll (not shown) to the facility 12 by means of cooperatingrollers indicated by the numeral 23. The filament 22 is urged into atube 24 in a compacted state and is forced upward therein in a heatedzone (not shown). The tube 24 definesa chamber 26in which the compactedfilament 27 is received substantially as shown in FIG. 2. Theaforementioned plunger member 21 rests on the compacted filament 27 andfloats thereon rising and falling in response to the quantity or levelof compacted filament in the chamber 26.

The end of the crimped filament. 22 is wound on the package roll 19, thesame passing through a passageway provided in the center of the member21 as indicated by the numeral 28 in FIG. 2. The drive roll I8 functionsto impart rotation to the package roll I9; a conventional traversingmechanism 25 functioning to distribute the filament on the package roll.Rotational movement is imparted to the roll 18 by the constant motor 16driving through the aforementioned clutch 17, the motor 16 also drivesthe rollers 23 as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that an induction coil assembly 20,including primary and secondary windings 30, 33 and 40, have asurrounding relation with respect to the portion 32 of the member 21.The portion 32 is constructed of a permeable material insuring that agood electric current will be generated or induced in the secondarywindings 30 and 40 of the coil assembly 20 in response to linearmovement of the portion 32 in the coil assembly 20. The member 32 andthe coil assembly 20 functions as a transducer operating on a lineardifferential transformer principle.

The induced or secondary current discussed above is transmitted to theamplifier 14 through the leads 34 and 36 and is referred to as thecontrol current. Amplified current corresponding to the control currentis transmitted to the clutch 17 via leads 37 and 38. The amplifiedcurrent is utilized in conventional manner to increase or decrease thedrag of the drive member on the driven member of the clutch 17. Theamplified current is referred to as the amplified control current.

Accordingly it will be apparent that the speed of the drive roll 18 willbe increased or decreased in accordance with the amplified controlcurrent supplied to the clutch 17. This current will be responsive tothe control current and in turn responsive to the quantity of compactedfilament 27 present in the chamber 26.

Various components of the apparatus 11 having been described a clearerunderstanding of the operation of the apparatus 11 will be forthcomingfrom the following discussion of its operation.

As discussed above the portion 32 and coil assembly 20 cooperate tofunction on a linear variable differential principle. However, it maybecome necessary to texturize (crimp) a thread of fine denier quality inwhich case an extremely light float tube may be required. In such casesa conventional resonant tank circuit may be substituted for the circuitshown and described in connection with FIG. 2.

For purposes of illustration it is assumed the armature 32 has reachedthe position as shown in FIG. 3 referred to as the null position of thearmature 32. In this FIG. the chamber 26 has reached its capacity, thatis to say the chamber 26 is filled to capacity with compacted filament27. According the coil assembly 20 and armature 32 cooperate to reversethe flow of control current and thereby increase the speed of thepackage roll 18 should the chamber 26 continue to fill.

Thus it will be seen the speed of the rolls l8 and 19 will be increasedor decreased with the result that the quantity of compacted filament 27present in the chamber 26 willbe constant or practically so. The speedof the rolls I8 and 19 will be continuously monitored in response to theamplified control current which in turn will be responsive to thequantity of compacted filament in the chamber 26.

Mounted on structure on which the coil assembly 20 is mounted, is anoverfill detector (not shown). The overfill detector switch functions toprovide a current acting to provide an off' signal to the motor 16,should the apparatus 11 malfunction-or the level of the compactedfilament'27 exceed the level shown in FIG. 2. In other words theoverfill detector originates a signal functioning to terminate theoperation of the apparatus '1 I. I

Thus it will be seen that textile apparatus including a crimpingfacility is disclosed which will insure uniformity of a filament beingcrimped therein. The apparatus also includes means effecting the otherobjects of the invention as set forth.

We claim:

' 1. In textile machinery functioning to provide a crimped fiber havinguniform characteristics in a physical sense, the combination comprising:

a. a crimping facility including a member of hollow constructiondefining a vertically disposed chamber adapted to contain apredetermined quantity of continuous filament in a compacted state;

b. a plunger member including stem and body portions, the latter portionbeing constructed of a metallic material permeable to electric currentand the stem portion being mounted in and having a sliding-relation withthe walls of said chamber;

c. an induction coil assembly having a surrounding relation with respectto said body portion adapted to generate a control current in responseto linear movement of said body portion relative to said induction coil;and

d. drive and package rolls the speed of which is responsive to saidcontrol current functioning to maintain the quantity of said compactedfilament in said chamber substantially constant.

2. ln apparatus as set forth in claim 1:

a. in which said chamber, armature and stem portions are of cylindricalconfiguration.

3. ln apparatus as set forth in claim 2:

a. including a'constant speed electric motor;

b. an electric clutch functioning to transmit rotary motion of saidelectric motor to said package roll; and

c. means for transmitting said control current to said clutch wherebythe speed of said package roll varies in response to the magnitude ofsaid control voltage.

4. Texturizing apparatus adapted to provide a continuous crimped fiberhaving uniform physical characteristics, comprising:

a. a crimping facility including a member of hollow constructiondefining a vertically disposed chamber adapted to hold a predeterminedquantity of a continuous filament in compacted state;

b. a plunger member including armature and stem portions the formerportion being constructed of a permeable metallic material and thelatter portion having a sliding relation with respect to the walls ofsaid chamber;

c. an electrical conductive coil assembly including primary andsecondary windings having a surrounding relation with respect to thearmature portion of said plunger member;

d. a power source for said primary winding;

c. said secondary winding adapted to generate a control currentresponsive to linear movement of said armature in said coil assembly;

f. a constant speed electric motor;

g. drive and package rolls driven by said motor;

h. an electric clutch functioning to transmit rotary movement of saidmotor to said drive and package rolls;

i. electric leads adapted to transmit said control current to saidclutch; and

j. said clutch including means functioning to increase and decrease thespeeds of said drive and package rolls in response to the magnitude ofsaid control current.

1. In textile machinery functioning to provide a crimped fiber havinguniform characteristics in a physical sense, the combination comprising:a. a crimping facility including a member of hollow constructiondefining a vertically disposed chamber adapted to contain apredetermined quantity of continuous filament in a compacted state; b. aplunger member including stem and body portions, the latter portionbeing constructed of a metallic material permeable to electric currentand the stem portion being mounted in and having a sliding relation withthe walls of said chamber; c. an induction coil assembly having asurrounding relation with respect to said body portion adapted togenerate a control current in response to linear movement of said bodyportion relative to said induction coil; and d. drive and package rollsthe speed of which is responsive to said control current functioning tomaintain the quantity of said compacted filament in said chambersubstantially constant.
 2. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1: a. inwhich said chamber, armature and stem portions are of cylindricalconfiguration.
 3. In apparatus as set forth in claim 2: a. including aconstant speed electric motor; b. an electric clutch functioning totransmit rotary motion of said electric motor to said package roll; andc. means for transmitting said control current to said clutch wherebythe speed of said package roll varies in response to the magnitude ofsaid control voltage.
 4. Texturizing apparatus adapted to provide acontinuous crimped fiber having uniform physical characteristics,comprising: a. a crimping facility including a member of hollowconstruction defining a vertically disposed chamber adapted to hold apredetermined quantity of a continuous filament in compacted state; b. aplunger member including armature and stem portions the former portionbeing constructed of a permeable metallic material and the latterportion having a sliding relation with respect to the walls of saidchamber; c. an electrical conductive coil assembly including primary andsecondary windings having a surrounding relation with respect to thearmature portion of said plunger member; d. a power source for saidprimary winding; e. said secondary winding adapted to generate a controlcurrent responsive to linear movement of said armature in said coilassembly; f. a constant speed electric motor; g. drive and package rollsdriven by said motor; h. an electric clutch functioning to transmitrotary movement of said motor to said drive and package rolls; i.electric leads adapted to transmit said control current to said clutch;and j. said clutch including means functioning to increase and decreasethe speeds of said drive and package rolls in response to the magnitudeof said control current.